Wilderness Fishing Expeditions – Patagonia float trips

Caleufu River

The Caleufu River starts in Lanín National Park and run roughly 50 miles until it reaches the Alicura Reservoir.  With most of the river surrounded by private ranches, our 2-3 night overnight float trips offer the only way to fish the entire river.  In the higher elevation the river cuts through beautiful low canyons and pine forests while the lower portions meanders through the Patagonia steppe along grassy, willow lined banks.  The Caleufu hosts a healthy population of Rainbow and Brown Trout averaging 15-18 inches.  Large Brown Trout of 9-12 pounds lurk in the deepest pools and demand a streamer.  Dry flies and nymphs all work incredibly well in this medium sized, freestone river where insects and Pancora Crabs thrive.  This river is more easily floated from November to mid-January.  The intimate Caleufu River offers seclusion, superior fishing and spectacular scenery and is not to be missed.

Collón Curá River

The large Collon Cura is a prolific trout river running through a wide valley flanked by smaller mountains that precede the larger Andes.   It is known for 30+ fish days with strong 16-20 inch trout which are most abundant in the riffles.  Larger Browns are more frequently found in deeper pools, under submerged willow branches and along the rocky cliffs. The Collon also has slow slide channels and several backwaters where it’s common to see multiple heads sipping insects.  The diversity of water allows anglers to employ a variety of tactics.
Mid-Summer offers exciting fishing due to the great minnow migration up river from the Pierda de Aguila Reservoir.  Millions of silver-sided minnows fill riffles, creating a feeding frenzy where both trout and prey are seen breaking the water. These are big and powerful fish and demand nothing lighter than a 2x tippet.  In the fall, Red Stag bugle 24 hours a day and 5-15 pound Brown Trout migrate from the reservoir to the river to spawn.

Limay Medio

The Limay Medio or Middle Limay River is a large tailwater draining the Pierda del Aguila Reservoir and runs to the Atlantic. It has long been the local anglers’ “big fish river” and offers notably larger than average Rainbow and Brown Trout that do not offer themselves easily.  On our Limay Medio River Expeditions, we may move camp each night as we move down stream or use the same comfortable base camp each night. We can even utilize a small lodge for those who prefer not to camp.  Either way, you’ll fish new water each day, floating the narrow braids or the main channel itself.  Fish are found in almost every fishable piece of water and anglers will have opportunities to stalk fish in channels, fish ledges, runs and pools and even be productive with a dry fly all day.
Large trees and willows dot the river corridor while the hillsides are reduced to low lying vegetation and rocks, both wind and sun burnt like much of Patagonia’s rugged steppe.  High, red rock cliffs offer a spectacular deep-red glow during sunsets and sunrises.

Aluminé River

The Aluminé River flows 160 miles from the Aluminé Lake to the Collon Cura River.  Along its journey it is supplemented by tributaries big and small. The lengthy Aluminé allows for 4, maybe 5 night trips for anglers wishing to maximize their time on the water.

The Aluminé runs through the Patagonian steppe along ranches, rock walls and willow lined shores.  In November, anglers are better suited with a 6 weight rod casting streamers on heavy tippet and the occasional dry fly. December brings spring insect activity and the hatches continue into April. Rainbows are more numerous than Browns and the average size increases as you move down stream.  Bigger Rainbows are often found sipping in glassy water or in small pockets along the shore.